Imitators of the Father

Altar area of a church in Guatemala. 

Scripture:

Luke 6:32   “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. ³⁴ If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. ³⁵ But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Observation:

As Jesus’ sermon continues to unfold he begins to speak of specific actions which reflect the character of God. This character is to be revealed in the life of each and every disciple. 

It’s easy enough to love those that love you and this isn’t really worth mentioning when it comes to the imitation of the Father. The world responds in this way, but it’s looking beyond just doing good to those who would like to do good to you that is important. 

The language of lending has to do with receiving interest. If you lend to someone with interest, that’s not a big deal because all kinds of businessmen do the same thing. 

Now, Jesus comes to the crux of the matter. He reiterates that we are to love our enemies and do good to them. When someone asks us for a loan, we are to give, not expecting anything in return. The reward that he speaks of is that fact that we are taking on the characteristics of the Most High. We are to become God’s children, and in doing so, we take on the family resemblance. God is the merciful father who lovingly cares for his children, providing for their needs. Therefore, if our Father is merciful, we are to take on his nature and character, imitating our Father, and showing mercy as well. 

The result of this behavior is the creation of a new community for the disciples. Joel Green puts it this way: “Jesus calls on his followers to form a community the boundaries of which are porous and whose primary emblematic behavior is its refusal to treat others (even, or especially, those who hate, exclude, revile, and defame you) as though they were enemies” (Green, NICNT). The disciples are to realize that all of their behavior is to be “rooted in the imitation of God” (Green, NICNT). 

Application:

The final phrase, “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” is the same construct as we find in Leviticus 1:2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” The nature of God is revealed in the Old Testament and then brought with more clarity here in Jesus’ sermon. To be holy as God is holy is to show mercy as the Father shows mercy. For those of us of the holiness tribes, we are challenged to be a people of mercy for this is what it means to be living a life of holiness. 

This message was terribly subversive. Green tells us, “If God, and not the emperor, is identified as the Great Benefactor, the Patron, and if people are to act without regard to cycles of obligation, then the politics of the Empire is sabotaged” (NICNT). Jesus is teaching the disciples to break their dependency upon the government and allow the Father to care for their needs. Then, just as the Father is to care for their needs, they are to imitate the Father and take care of others. This is a new way of living that is being introduced, and it is radically different from what the world had to offer, and eventually became a threat to the power structures of the day. 

I would suggest that Christianity, when properly practiced, becomes a threat to power structures. This is not because Christianity becomes aligned with power structures, but that Christianity remains aligned to the Father. Our dependence is to be on our heavenly Father who wants us to learn that He can care for our needs. He does good. He lends without expectation of repayment. He loves those who do not love Him. 

Kingdom life is the creation of a new community that is filled with children living in imitation of the Father. I love the concept from Green that this community has porous borders. If we want the Father to welcome us home with open arms, don’t we want to be ready, with mercy, to welcome the prodigals home? 

To be filled with God’s holy love is to show mercy in such a way that it is radically counter-cultural. This is truly what it means to be a holiness people. 

Prayer:

Lord, may I show mercy today in my actions, but also in my heart. Amen.